Water Resources Applications Software

VS2DI

A graphical software package for simulating fluid flow and solute or energy transport in variably saturated porous media

Information

The VS2DI package contains all the tools that a user needs to create, run, and view results for a simulation of flow and transport through variably saturated porous media. The package seamlessly integrates a graphical user interface--within which the user can draw the simulated domain and enter or modify model parameters--with existing USGS models of flow and solute transport, and a postprocessor that displays simulation results.

The VS2DI software package includes three applications:

VS2DTI

for simulation of water and solute transport

VS2DHI

for simulation of water and energy transport

VS2POST

a standalone postprocessor for viewing results saved from previous simulation runs

The numerical models used for flow and transport calculations are the U.S. Geological Survey's computer models VS2DT (for solute transport) and VS2DH (for energy transport). These models have been updated to version 3.0 for implementation in the VS2DI package.

Experienced users of VS2DT and VS2DH will find that it is now much easier to construct simulations and to analyze results.

Users unfamiliar with VS2DT and VS2DH will find that the VS2DI package allows for easy and rapid examination of water and contaminant (or heat) movement through various different hydrologic regimes. It is an excellent tool for hypothesis testing (for example, for looking at the influence that the shape, position, and hydraulic characteristics of a layer of low permeability have on the movement of a contaminant infiltrating from the soil surface). VS2DI is also very useful for teaching the basics of soil physics and subsurface contaminant transport. Typical applications of the programs are for studies of ground-water recharge, surface-water-ground-water exchange, and contaminant transport from waste disposal sites. An extensive on-line help manual provides all the information necessary to run the programs.

Summary of VS2DI

Version history

UNIX or Windows installation instructions (README file)

How to order U.S. Geological Survey printed documentation

How to register to receive software update and enhancement notices

Software

Selection of the following options preceded by a binary icon retrieves a compressed UNIX tar file or a Windows installation program. A README file containing installation instructions is included with each of the software distribution files. There are separate README files for the UNIX and Windows distributions.

The Free Software Foundation's gunzip is necessary to uncompress the UNIX tar files available below. However, some World Wide Web browsers automatically uncompress retrieved files. Thus, running gunzip as stated in the installation instructions may be unnecessary.

VS2DI compiled for...

Silicon Graphics Indigo (6.6MB)

Sun SPARCstation (Solaris) (5.6MB)

Microsoft Windows 9x or NT (includes source) (7.4MB)
(updated 2001/09/18 to support execution on Pentium 4 processors)

Microsoft Windows 9x or NT (includes source) for installation from floppy diskettes (7.1MB)--see floppy installation instructions
(updated 2001/09/18 to support execution on Pentium 4 processors)

VS2DI source code for compilation under...

UNIX (3.0MB)

The above software can also be accessed via anonymous FTP from water.usgs.gov in the /pub/software/ground_water/vs2di directory.

Documentation

How to order U.S. Geological Survey printed documentation

Hsieh, P.A., Wingle, William, and Healy, R.W., 2000, VS2DI--A graphical software package for simulating fluid flow and solute or energy transport in variably saturated porous media: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4130, 16 p.

USGS WRIR 99-4130, Portable Document Format (PDF) (116K)
USGS WRIR 99-4130, PostScript, gzip-compressed for UNIX (130K)
USGS WRIR 99-4130, PostScript, self-extracting DOS executable (140K)

Healy, R.W., and Ronan, A.D., 1996, Documentation of computer program VS2DH for simulation of energy transport in variably saturated porous media -- modification of the U.S. Geological Survey's computer program VS2DT: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4230, 36 p.

Healy, R.W., 1990, Simulation of solute transport in variably saturated porous media with supplemental information on modifications to the U.S. Geological Survey's Computer Program VS2D: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 90-4025, 125 p.

Lappala, E.G., Healy, R.W., and Weeks, E.P., 1987, Documentation of computer program VS2D to solve the equations of fluid flow in variably saturated porous media: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 83-4099, 184 p.

Point of contact for VS2DI -- Rick Healy:

(electronic mail: rwhealy@usgs.gov)